A common problem when filling a tank or other container with fluid through a small aperture, such as kerosene heaters, gasoline cans, lawn mower fuel tanks and the like, is overflow of the fluid such as fuel when the tank or container is overfilled due to the difficulty in observing the fill level. Overfilling and spilling of the fluid where such fluid is toxic, flammable or expensive presents possible safety hazards or damage that is quite apparent.
Various types of funnels and the like devices have been proposed for transferring fluids such as fuel from one container to another, which are designed to prevent or limit spilling of the fluid including, for example, funnels with fill or float indicators such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,796,470 and 4,901,776, funnels with float operative sealing valves as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,715,488 and 4,712,595 and funnels with specially configured spouts such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,201. While such devices have been suggested for solving a long standing problem, none of the proposed devices appear to have received wide commercial acceptance, probably due to high costs, lack of dependability of operation, complicated construction and the like. Moreover, the proposed devices are generally incorporated into or used in conjunction with only one funnel or the like device, further limiting the ready accessibility and use thereof. There is, thus, the continuing need for a simply constructed, generally low-cost and dependably operating funnel or the like device for transferring fluid from one container to another which would serve to prevent overfilling of the container to be filled. Particularly advantageous and desirable would be a device adapted to be used with more than one conventional funnel or the like of different configuration and/or size having means for preventing overfill when transferring fluids from one container to another and which also permits draining excess fluid retained within the filling device without spilling.